The Palestinian Prisoners Society on Sunday published a list of detainees expected to be freed as part of a release deal by Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that Israel will free 104 Palestinian prisoners to coincide with the resumption of long-stalled peace talks brokered by the United States. The Israeli PM will seek cabinet approval for the release on Sunday.

Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Society, said earlier that there would be no talks unless all 104 prisoners returned to their homes.

The list details each prisoner's name, year of arrest, and place of origin.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will seek cabinet approval on Sunday for a contentious release of 104 veteran Palestinian and Israeli-Arab prisoners, to coincide with the resumption of peace talks.

While the names of the prisoners have yet to be officially published, or even revealed to ministers, they reportedly include militants convicted of killing Israeli women and children or Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel.

An unofficial list published by Almagor, a group representing Israeli victims of Palestinian attacks, said that candidates for release also included those jailed for acts such as the killing of a creditor, murder during car theft and a man convicted of strangling his wife whom he suspected of adultery.

The planned releases have brought protests from Israeli victims' families and from Netanyahu's hardline coalition partners.

The premier said in an open letter published on his Facebook page that he too had deep misgivings.

"This is an incomparably difficult decision," he wrote. "It is painful for the bereaved families, it is painful for the entire nation and it is also very painful for me."

Israeli media reported on Sunday that the far-right Jewish Home party intends to vote against the plan, while the equally hardline Yisrael Beitenu had given its ministers a free vote.

There were rumblings within Netanyahu's own right-wing Likud party too, with deputy defense minister Danny Danon urging the party's ministers to vote "no" in Sunday's cabinet session, which begins at 0700 GMT.

"I say that this is a diplomatic mistake, a moral mistake,' he told public radio.

"The message we are giving the terrorists is that, at the end of the day, we are freeing them as heroes."

Commentators nevertheless expected Netanyahu to win the vote, albeit by a narrow margin.

A Palestinian official told AFP on Saturday that the US-brokered renewal of peace talks, stalled since September 2010, would open in Washington on Tuesday.

Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Club which tracks the well-being of Palestinians in Israeli jails, said on Sunday that there would be no talks unless all 104 prisoners returned to their homes.

"If they don't free all of them, there will be no negotiations," he told public radio.

In past deals, Israel has expelled some freed prisoners from the occupied West Bank or annexed East Jerusalem to the Gaza Strip or abroad but Fares said that would not be acceptable this time.

"Expulsion is punishment," he said. "These people. who are now over 50 years old, all of them sick, need to be released to their homes."

The cabinet will hear a formal statement from Netanyahu on the resumption of peace talks and mandate a ministerial committee to handle the prisoner release, the government website said.

Israeli news website Ynet said Netanyahu would head the prisoner committee deciding which prisoners are to be freed and when.

The cabinet is also set to draw up a bill to submit any peace treaty with the Palestinians to a referendum.

Such a vote would be a final endorsement of a treaty after ratification by the government and parliament.

The draft is seen as a gesture to right-wing ministers apprehensive of concessions that could be demanded of Israel in the talks.

A cabinet briefing paper said the government saw approval of the new draft as "urgent and important" and said it would be asking parliament to fast-track its passage into law.

Netanyahu's proposal to free 104 Palestinian prisoners as gesture to Abbas expected to be approved; bereaved families protest outside government complex, chant 'Bibi is a coward'

The cabinet is convening Sunday morning to vote on the release of 104 Palestinian prisoners as a gesture to the Palestinian Authority ahead of the expected resumption of US-brokered peace talks.

Ahead of the vote, relatives of Israelis who were killed in terror attacks gathered outside the government complex in Jerusalem to protest against the release of prisoners.

The protesters chanted: "This is a day of mourning," "You do not release murderers of children" and "Bibi is a coward." They handed out the private phone numbers of the ministers to passersby, urging them to call the ministers and ask that they vote against the release of Palestinian prisoners.

According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal, the prisoners will be released at stages as the peace negotiations progress. The proposal further states that a ministerial committee headed by Netanyahu will finalize the details of the prisoners' release at a later stage. The cabinet is expected to approve the proposal.

Apart from the premier, the ministerial committee will include Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich and Science and Technology Minister Ya'akov Peri. "This is an incredibly difficult decision. It hurts the bereaved families, it hurts all of the Israeli people and it hurts me very much. It clashes with the most important principle, the principle of justice," Netanyahu said Saturday in an open letter to the citizens of Israel explaining his decision to release Palestinian prisoners. "Sometimes prime ministers are forced to make decisions that go against public opinion - when the issue is important for the country," he said.

"Our best response to the loathsome murderers who tried to terrorize us into submission is that in the decades that they sat in prison, we built a state to be proud of," Netanyahu said in the letter. Addressing the upcoming start of peace talks, the PM said that "in the next nine months we will determine if across from us is a Palestinian partner that desires a true end to the conflict as we do."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel will free 104 Palestinian prisoners to coincide with the resumption of long-stalled peace talks brokered by the United States.

"I agreed to free 104 Palestinians in stages, after the start of negotiations and according to progress," he wrote on his official Facebook page.

He did not give details on those to be freed or confirm reports that talks would open in Washington on Tuesday.

A Palestinian official earlier told AFP that the Washington meeting would be attended by chief PLO negotiator Saeb Erakat, his Israeli counterpart Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and US officials.

The sides are expected to meet for an informal dinner on Monday evening, on the eve, he said.

Israel's Regional Development Minister Silvan Shalom said this week that talks could resume next Tuesday, but neither the date nor venue have so far been confirmed.

"At this time, it seems most important to me that the state of Israel enter (negotiations)," Netanyahu wrote.

"This is important both to maximize the possibility of ending the conflict with the Palestinians and to solidify Israel's position in the complex international reality surrounding us," he added, writing in Hebrew.

Haaretz newspaper said the initial talks would be to lay the parameters of formal negotiations.

"According to senior officials in Jerusalem, the meeting in Washington is expected to deal primarily with the agenda for holding negotiations, including the subjects to be discussed and the timetable," according to Haaretz.

Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting will hear a formal statement from Netanyahu on the resumption of peace talks and mandate a ministerial committee to handle the prisoner release, the government website said.

Israeli news website Ynet said Netanyahu would head the prisoner committee deciding which prisoners are to be freed and when.

The cabinet is also set to endorse a draft bill to submit any peace treaty with the Palestinians to a referendum.

Such a vote would be a final endorsement of a treaty after ratification by the government and parliament.

A briefing paper published by the cabinet office said the proposal comes "in light of the significant diplomatic developments accompanying the opening of negotiations by the state of Israel with the Palestinian Authority".

The draft is seen as a gesture to right-wing ministers apprehensive of concessions that could be demanded of Israel in the talks.

The cabinet paper said the government saw approval of the new draft as "urgent and important" and said it would be asking parliament to streamline its passage into law.

"According to senior officials in Jerusalem, the meeting in Washington is expected to deal primarily with the agenda for holding negotiations, including the subjects to be discussed and the timetable," according to Haaretz newspaper.

On Saturday, both Haaretz and public radio reported that Israel was expected to release more than 100 Palestinian prisoners in stages during the talks, expected to last for six to nine months.

An Israeli official said this week that the release of "around 80" long-serving Palestinian prisoners was being considered.

The agenda for Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting says Netanyahu will tell ministers about the resumption of the talks, and also ask them to task a ministerial committee on "the release of Palestinian prisoners during the course of negotiations". It did not give a number.

Israeli news website Ynet said that Netanyahu would head the prisoner committee, which would decide which prisoners would be freed and the timetable for their release.

The cabinet is also set to endorse a draft bill which would submit any peace treaty with the Palestinians to a referendum.

Such a vote would be a final endorsement of a treaty after ratification by the government and parliament.

A briefing paper published by the cabinet office said the proposal comes "in light of the significant diplomatic developments accompanying the opening of negotiations by the state of Israel with the Palestinian Authority".

The draft is seen as a gesture to right-wing ministers apprehensive of concessions that could be demanded of Israel in the talks.

The cabinet paper said the government saw approval of the new draft as "urgent and important" and said it would be asking parliament to streamline its passage into law.

A senior Palestinian Authority official in the occupied West Bank has reported that direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, slated to start next Tuesday in Washington, cannot be held before Israel agrees to the release of all detainees held since before the first Oslo agreement of 1993.

Talking on condition of anonymity, the official said that “the detainees, including those from historic Palestine and Jerusalem, must be released before talks can resume”.

The official further stated that Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, has repeatedly made it clear to Israel and the United States that the detainees must be freed, and must be sent back home regardless of where they live.

Meanwhile, Israeli daily, Haaretz, has reported that Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, received an official invitation from the United States to start talks with Israeli Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni.

Erekat said that the United States clarified that the talks are based on the Israeli withdrawal from territories it occupied in 1967.

In addition, an unidentified official stated that “talks cannot resume before Israel commits itself to the release of all long term detainees, adding that “no Israeli commitment means Erekat will not be heading to Washington”.

Various Palestinian officials in the West Bank stated that any partial release of old detainee would be met by public outrage, and will be viewed as forfeiting the standards and principles set by President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership.

An official told Haaretz that Netanyahu never made a clear statement regarding peace talks based on the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories, never agreed to the release of the detainees, and never agreed to freeze all settlement activities.

On its part, Israeli daily, Yedioth Aharonoth, quoted a Palestinian official stating that an agreement has been reached to release 103 detainees, imprisoned by Israeli before the Oslo Agreement, and that the Palestinian side is waiting for an Israel government session that will be held Sunday to vote on the issue.

“Should Israel refrain from releasing the 103 detainees, including 24 from Jerusalem and the 1948 territories, the P.A will face massive public outrage should it engage in direct talks with Tel Aviv”, the official added.

The same official said that talks will likely start, and that he believes Israel will release the 103 detainees on four phases starting on the first month of talks and ending on the sixth month.

Yedioth Aharonoth said that Israeli Member of Knesset, Sylvan Shalom, of the Likud Party of Benjamin Netanyahu, did not void the possibility of releasing Palestinian detainees before the Fitir Muslim feast that marks the end of the current holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

The decision to resume direct peace talks was declared by U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, who recently toured the region and held extensive talks with Palestinian, Israeli and Arab officials. He said that direct final status peace talks would start next week in Washington.

Direct talks have been obstructed since September of 2009 when a temporary settlement freeze expired and Israel started massive constructions.

The government is not expected to approve a list of Palestinian prisoners to be released on its weekly meeting, sources involved in the issue said. According to them, the government will agree to form a ministerial committee composed of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich , who will handle any future prisoners' release.

"There's still no real list of names," an Israeli official said. "Even the Palestinians didn't pass an ordered list."

Palestinian prisoners from inside Israel must be included in any political agreement, their families said Wednesday.

At a meeting of the Arab Association for Prisoners, families of prisoners from inside Israel said a peace deal must include the unconditional release of their relatives, particularly those who have spent several decades in Israeli jails.

Some 103 Palestinians are considered veteran prisoners, including 14 from inside Israel.

Israel will release 80 Palestinians detained before the 1993 Oslo Accords as part of an agreement to renew peace negotiations, an Israeli official said Monday.

The association said it was not confident about Israeli intentions to release prisoners, despite verbal assurances from President Mahmoud Abbas.

"In the last two decades of negotiations, we have heard news and confirmation about releasing veteran prisoners," the association said in a statement.

"We call on the Palestinian leadership to give us a clear and honest information about this matter."

The Palestinian prisoners of Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied lands expressed their fears that the Palestinian authority (PA) intends to accept Israel's decision to exclude their names from the list of prisoners to be released, describing the PA's passivity in this regard as a death sentence against them.

In a statement released by the prisoners on Monday, the prisoners of Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied lands called on the PA leadership and all political forces to shoulder their national, moral and humanitarian responsibilities towards their issue and consider the sacrifices they had made for the just cause of Palestine.

"We have just heard that veteran prisoners will be released according to a US-brokered agreement between the PA and Israel, and based on what we have got from the Israeli media, without any Palestinian refutation, 82 out of 103 veteran prisoners on the list will be released, while the prisoners of Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied lands will be excluded and they number 23 detainees serving more than 30 years in jail," they underlined.

In a related context, Tadamun foundation for human rights said that Israel's successive governments dealt with the Palestinian long-serving prisoners in its jails as "political hostages."

"The occupation still uses the issue of the long-serving prisoners and their release as a pressure means against the Palestinian authority during negotiation rounds, which took place during the last two decades," Tadamun foundation stated in a press release on Monday.

It said that the intended release of a group of long-serving prisoners as an incentive step to encourage the PA to return to the negotiation table reflected that Israel is holding these detainees for mere political purposes unrelated to its alleged security concerns.

The foundation expressed its belief that some long-serving prisoners would be kept in prison in order for Israel to use them as a bargaining chip in the future.

For its part, the Arab association for the prisoners in the 1948 occupied lands called on the families of Palestinian prisoners not to deal with the Israeli news reports about the names of detainees to be released from Israeli jails as part of a US-brokered agreement between the PA and Israel to revive the peace process.

In a press release on Sunday, the association stressed the need for waiting for the PA to release an official statement in this regard.

It appealed to the foreign and local media outlets to be careful not to spread any rumors concerning the names of detainees to be released from Israeli jails so as to avoid any confusion that could be created among the prisoners and their families.

UFree Network to defend the rights of Palestinian prisoners called on releasing all Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. This comes in a wake of news that Israel will release a small number of prisoners as per Palestinian condition to restart negotiations.

Israeli official sources announced that 80 prisoners most of them imprisoned prior Oslo accord will be released. This came as Palestinian Authority (PA) demanded this step as a condition to resume frozen negotiations. The request of releasing prisoners included those from 1948 territories.

UFree therefore stressed on releasing all Palestinian prisoners not only a limited number. The peace process has always proved dishonest intention from the Israeli side as more thousands have been imprisoned since Oslo accord signed in 1993 between Israel and PA.

Khaled Waleed, UFree coordinator said in a press statement that Israel is demanded to release all prisoners as goodwill for true peace.

"Thousands of Palestinian prisoners are in Israeli jails under made-up accusations and have been persecuted illegally. This includes women, children and sick prisoners. The continuation of detaining those segments of prisoners is illegal as per international law, especially the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." Stated Waleed

In the same context, the family of Dirar Abu Sisi, who was kidnapped in Ukraine over 2 years ago, called on the Palestinian Authority to include Dirar within the list of names predicted to be freed. Abu sisi has been subject to constant torture and interrogation which caused him health complications.

The leader in Hamas movement Ghanem Sawalma, who was released Sunday after serving two years in administrative detention, stated that the prisoners suffer very difficult detention conditions in Israeli jails amid international and local silence. The 47-year-old stated that the prisoners demand their issue to be highlighted and popular support for their plight to be activated.

Concerning the resumption of the twenty-year old “peace process”, the liberated prisoner said that the prisoners' issue should not be used as an excuse to re-start negotiations at the expense of the Palestinian fateful issues particularly the right of return.

He called on the PA to work for the release of all prisoners especially the old and patient captives as a legitimate right and not a precondition for negotiations.

Meanwhile, Palestine center for prisoners' studies considered the Israeli news concerning the release of a small number of old prisoners as per Palestinian condition to restart negotiations as a manipulation of the feelings of prisoners' families.

The center pointed out that the sole source for this news is the Israeli media that have published different Israeli official statements aiming to create a state of tension among the prisoners and their families to pressure the Palestinian party for more concessions.

Some Israeli officials stated that only limited number of prisoners will be released, while others declared that only elderly prisoners will be liberated. For its part, Walla Israeli website stated that 80 prisoners most of them imprisoned prior to the Oslo accord will be released, the center noted.

The Palestinian human rights center called on PA to guard against Israeli lies and manipulations, pointing out to the previous failed negotiation.

Knesset committee discusses prisoners' release ahead of peace talks; Eliyahu Kremni, whose son's murderer might be released, says: Put a stop to this. MK Regev: A terrorist should stay in prison for the rest of his life

Though peace talks have yet to restart, the issue of releasing Palestinian prisoners continues to stir heated debates in Israel. The Knesset's Internal Affairs Committee held special deliberations on the issue Monday, during which chairwoman Miri Regev said, "A terrorist should stay in prison for the rest of his life. In Israel, you'd be better off as a security prisoner than you would as a criminal one.

You'd get better terms." MK Regev addressed the fact that the gesture of releasing prisoners was an American initiative: "For 20 years the US has been hardening its heart, and president after president refuses to release Jonathan Pollard in the name of the national honor of the American people. If we are speaking of gestures, I'd like to see the US grant a gesture that is the release of Pollard."

Representatives of the Israel Prison Service, the Justice Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office also attended the Knesset committee meeting. Also in attendance was Eliyahu Kremni, whose son Ronen was murdered 23 years ago with his friend Lior Toubol. The two were on their way to see friends in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Pisgat Ze'ev, and their bodies were found two days later in a nearby valley. Their killers are on the list of prisoners who are to be released. 'The killers got four life sentences for four murders of which they were convicted," Kremni told the committee. They haven’t even completed one life sentence. At the time I signed I was willing that one of my son's killers be released in exchange for releasing Gilad Shalit.

Now I urge people's hearts to look at my side of this. In the name of all the bereaved families, in the name of everyone whose heart is still bleeding, please, consider putting a stop to this." According to Director of the Department of Pardons at the Justice Ministry, Emi Palmor, since 2003 Israel has released 430 prisoners at the Tenebaum deal, 1,000 at the Shalit deal, 400 for the release of Azam Azam, and an additional group, the number of which was not divulged, for the release of Ilan Grapel. Moreover, Israel has released between 200 and 400 additional prisoners, under five various occasions over the past decade.

When asked who was in charge of choosing which prisoners would be released, Palmor replied, "The ministerial echelon passes on the names to a Justice Ministry committee. Over the past years, the lists did not consist of prisoners with blood on their hands." Regarding the prisoners included in the "pre-Oslo" group, Palmor added "It is a list of 82 people who were convicted of security offenses. The list has been under debate for years… each and every one of them has blood on his hands."

Israel on Saturday announced it will release some Palestinian prisoners as a "gesture", as the two sides agreed to meet to pave the way for their first direct talks in three years.

The announcement came hours after US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in Amman late on Friday that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators had laid the groundwork to resume the frozen peace talks.

Kerry said that as a first step Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat and his Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni would meet him in Washington "to begin initial talks within the next week or so".

The last round of direct talks broke down in 2010 over the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The issue of continued expansion of illegal Jewish settlements remains one of the biggest stumbling blocks between the two sides.

On Saturday, Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said his government would engage in the staged release of a "limited number" of prisoners, some of whom have been in Israeli jails for 30 years.

Steinitz provided no other details but said "there will definitely be a certain gesture here".

Kerry's announcement came after he spent four days consulting the Israeli and Palestinian leadership from his base in an Amman hotel and a late Friday helicopter dash to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.

Just minutes before boarding a plane to fly home, Kerry told reporters both sides had reached "an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming direct final status negotiations".

"This is a significant and welcome step forward," he added, having doggedly pushed the two sides to agree to resume talks in six intense trips to the region since becoming the top US diplomat in February.

But he warned that the issues separating the sides were "difficult" and "complicated".

A US State Department official said Kerry had wrenched a commitment from both sides "on the core elements that will allow direct talks to begin".

The Israelis and Palestinians remain far apart on final status issues including the borders of a future Palestinian state, the right of return of Palestinian refugees, and the fate of Jerusalem which both want as their capital.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has also repeatedly called for a freeze to Israeli settlement building and a release of prisoners.

Analysts cautioned against reading too much into the latest developments.

Chico Menashe, diplomatic commentator for Israeli public radio, likened the situation to "a half-baked cake Kerry removed from the stove. Kerry convinced the Israelis and Palestinians it was edible, and both sides agreed to eat it."

Gal Berger, Palestinian affairs correspondent for Israel's public radio pointed to the fact that Yitzhak Molcho, the personal envoy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has already been holding talks with Erakat, which were still ongoing.

"Now Livni is being added, but it is still not a meeting at the level of the leaders (Netanyahu and Abbas)," he said.

The Hamas movement which runs the Gaza Strip rejected a return to talks, its spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri saying Abbas had no legitimate right to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinian people.

He told AFP the movement "considers the Palestinian Authority's return to negotiations with the occupation to be at odds with the national consensus".

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton warmly welcomed the agreement, adding her "great hope that we may finally see progress towards the objectives which they share along with their friends and allies around the world."

UN chief Ban Ki-moon called on both side sides to "show courage and responsibility" to ensure that once the talks resume that they can be sustained.

Israeli daily, Maariv, has reported that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, allegedly presented an "offer" to release around 104 Palestinian detainees before the resumption of peace talks, and without a Palestinian commitment to resume direct talks with Tel Aviv.

The paper said that approximately 40 of those detainees are what Israel labels as “prisoners with blood on their hands”, referring to detainees accused to killing Israelis, or believed to be behind attacks that led to casualties.

Maariv said that the new stance of Netanyahu is considered a fundamental change, as he always refused “to pay the price of convincing the Palestinian side to return to the negotiations table”, according to the paper.

Sources in Washington have reported that U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, and Netanyahu are waiting a response from Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.

The Israeli “offer” states that Israel would release the 104 detainees on stages in the future, after the resumption of peace talks.

According to Maariv, the detainees could be released soon, during the Holy Muslim month of Ramadan that started a day ago.

The Palestinian leadership in the West Bank quit direct peace talks with Tel Aviv due to Israel’s ongoing violations, invasions and its ongoing illegal settlement construction and expansion activities in the occupied West Bank, including in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel is also failing to accept holding talks on vital final status issues, such as Jerusalem, the Right of Return of the Palestinian Refugees, borders and natural resources.

Palestinian Minister of Detainees, Issa Qaraqe’, stated that President Mahmoud Abbas insists on the release of all 104 detainees who have been held by Israeli since before the first Oslo Agreement in 1993, without any discrimination, or conditions.

Qaraqe’ said that Abbas affirmed, during a meeting between the two, that all old detainees, and all ailing detainees, must be released, and that this stance in nonnegotiable, and was presented to U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, during his visit to the region.

He added that Israel previously offered the release of a number of detainees in return for resuming direct peace talks, and added that the release should be comprehensive, and not under Israeli preconditions.

Qaraqe’ stated that Abbas told Kerry that the detainees’ cause in an essential issue, and that the release of detainees who spent many years in Israeli prisons, and the ailing detainees, is a fundamental issue that cannot be compromised.

His statements came in response to Israeli reports about an Israeli initiative to release a number of detainees (approximately 104 detainees) in return for resuming direct peace talks.

“The release of all detainees is a legitimate Palestinian right”, Qaraqe’ said, “It’s not an issue that Israel should control and use as a bargaining chip”.

The Minister saluted all detainees and their families, congratulated the Muslims marking the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, and stated that human life, and the liberty of human beings, are sacred values, adding that the suffering of the detainees is the suffering of steadfastness, and determination.

US Secretary of State John Kerry's plan to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians calls for the release of some 103 Palestinian prisoners serving time in Israeli prisons from a time prior to the signing Oslo accords, London-based Al Hayat reported, citing Western diplomatic sources. According to the report, Kerry's plan for renewed negotiations also includes a freeze in construction in settlements outside the main settlement blocs and a three-pronged economic renewal project for the Palestinian economy.

According to Kerry's plan, direct negotiations between the two sides will be confined to a six to nine month period; during which Israelis and the Palestinians will be expected to discuss the core issues of the conflict.

"The plan will also include investments in the Palestinian economy, estimated at around $4 billion as well as Israeli authorization of Palestinian projects in Area C," the paper reported. Sources close to the issue were quoted as saying the plan also includes a public statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he will publicly commit to negotiations, specifically according to the outline presented by US President Barack Obama during his speech in Israel: two-states, living side by side in peace and prosperity on the basis of 1967 borders and land-swaps where such borders are unfeasible, in addition to Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.

Palestinian commentators believe that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will sit down and negotiate if Israel releases the 103 prisoners, because their release will be perceived as a massive achievement for Palestinians. Kerry is expected to return to the area soon for an additional round of shuttle diplomacy between the two sides, but parts of his staff have remained in the area to continue the process. According to a Palestinian source, the difference of opinions between the two sides remain large, as the Palestinians demand the release of all 103 together and a complete halt in settlement constriction.

"We have bad had a experience with Netanyahu. He will release the first group and then drag his feet in negotiations. Hence we want them all released together," a Palestinian source said. Regarding the demand for a complete and public freeze in settlement constriction, and not a semi-official halt outside the major settlement blocs the source said: "Israeli considers a large majority of settlements as part of the major blocs. Hence we want a complete freeze, at least during negotiations."